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Womack Introduces LOCAL Act

In September 2013, after successful joint-management program operation since 2009, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) determined that it no longer had the statutory authority to continue with the cooperative oversight of recreational facilities across the country, upon recognizing a gap in its legislative authorities.  At the time of the USACE determination, ten such agreements existed  nationally – including agreements with the Friends of Lake Ouachita and the Ozarks Rivers Heritage Foundation, which were successfully maintaining facilities across the state of Arkansas – and another twenty were in formation.  In the Third District, a partnership agreement for Beaver Lake had been signed just months before the joint-management program was discontinued.  

On Tuesday, January 6, 2015, Representative Steve Womack (AR-3) – along with Representative Bruce Westerman (AR-4) – introduced H.R. 176, the Local Organization Cooperative Agreement for Land and Facility Maintenance Act of 2015 (“LOCAL Act”).  The LOCAL Act of 2015 returns this crucial ability to the USACE, allowing trusted and transparent local, non-profit organizations to construct, operate, and maintain recreational facilities at certain lakes and reservoirs through partnerships with the USACE.

Upon introduction, Congressman Womack released the below statement:

“Those of us who call the Natural State home take pride in Arkansans’ local land management abilities.  These partnerships existed to assist in water infrastructure maintenance without spending new federal dollars; restoring them is an important step in not only leveraging limited federal funding, but also utilizing the experience of the people who live and work in each community to secure lasting recreational opportunities.”

The final text of the bill can be found here.

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